--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believed the people had a true instinct…" description: "\"I believed the people had a true instinct in most matters of government when left alone. That they were not swayed, as specially favoured individuals w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/william-lyon-mackenzie-king-16_common_i-believed-the-people-had-a-true-instinc_1782264.png" --- # I believed the people had a true instinct in most matters… ![“I believed the people had a true instinct in most matters of government when left alone. That they were not swayed, as specially favoured individuals were, by personal interest, but rather by a sense of what best served the common good. That they recognized the truth when it was put before them…” quote by William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/william-lyon-mackenzie-king-16_common_i-believed-the-people-had-a-true-instinc_1782264.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/william-lyon-mackenzie-king-16_common_i-believed-the-people-had-a-true-instinc_1782264.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/william-lyon-mackenzie-king-16_common_i-believed-the-people-had-a-true-instinc_1782264.png) > “I believed the people had a true instinct in most matters of government when left alone. That they were not swayed, as specially favoured individuals were, by personal interest, but rather by a sense of what best served the common good. That they recognized the truth when it was put before them, and that a leader can guide so long as he kept to the right lines. I did not think it was a mark of leadership to try to make the people do what one wanted them to do.” [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People tend to act wisely when free from personal gain, guided by common good rather than self‑interest. **In simple terms:** Freedom from selfish motives leads to better governance. Key Takeaway Trust collective wisdom, limit manipulation. Themes democracy leadership ethics common good trust Mood thoughtful hopeful serious Type political ethical When to use this quote - voting - community projects - policy making - public debates - non‑profit work Key Concepts social contract political theory human nature Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards prevent elite manipulation? - How can we nurture genuine public trust? A Different Perspective Assuming all act selflessly ignores power dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-good/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personal interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-interest/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I would hope that people, no matter what age, would find something to identify with in my books, pick one up and experience a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/i-would-hope-that-people-no-matter-what-age-would-find-something-to/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [But, you know, the issues of humanity and what is fair treatment and good treatment of a fellow human being should not really be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-harry/but-you-know-the-issues-of-humanity-and-what-is-fair-treatment-and/) [Debbie Harry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-harry/) > [Forget about trying to stabilize the personal sense of Self. 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Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/people-said-things-they-didn-t-mean-all-the-time-everybody-else-in/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [We have always believed that our people can stand on no higher ground than the school ground, or can enter any more hopeful room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/we-have-always-believed-that-our-people-can-stand-on-no-higher-ground/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [“Happiness. I believed few people ever achieved it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilsa-madden-mills/happiness-i-believed-few-people-ever-achieved-it/) [Ilsa Madden-Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilsa-madden-mills/) > [“When I was extremely young and shockingly stupid, I thought you weren't supposed to ever get angry at anybody you cared about (lest you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kogan/when-i-was-extremely-young-and-shockingly-stupid-i-thought-you-weren/) Lisa Kogan ## More by William Lyon Mackenzie King > [If the military might of Germany and Japan are ultimately to be crushed, the United Nations, one and all, must definitely and urgently strive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/if-the-military-might-of-germany-and-japan-are-ultimately-to-be/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [I really believe my greatest service is in the many unwise steps I prevent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/i-really-believe-my-greatest-service-is-in-the-many-unwise-steps-i/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [A true man does not only stand up for himself, he stands up for those that do not have the ability to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/a-true-man-does-not-only-stand-up-for-himself-he-stands-up-for-those/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [From the outset of the war, the Canadian people have clearly shown that it is their desire to help in every way to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/from-the-outset-of-the-war-the-canadian-people-have-clearly-shown/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [Conscription if necessary, but not necessarily conscription.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/conscription-if-necessary-but-not-necessarily-conscription/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [Nor do we begin to have a clear appreciation of what the increase in consumption of alcoholic beverages in wartime means in increased risk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/nor-do-we-begin-to-have-a-clear-appreciation-of-what-the-increase-in/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [Where there is little or no public opinion, there is likely to be bad government, which sooner or later becomes autocratic government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/where-there-is-little-or-no-public-opinion-there-is-likely-to-be-bad/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [Self-denial and self-discipline, however, will be recognized as the outstanding qualities of a good soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/self-denial-and-self-discipline-however-will-be-recognized-as-the/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [There can be little doubt that absence from work, and inefficient work, are frequently due to intemperance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/there-can-be-little-doubt-that-absence-from-work-and-inefficient-work/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [Since the outbreak of war, there has been in our country a steady increase in the consumption of spirits, wine and beer. 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